80's Days of Summer: Day 9- Synchronicity II

I always liked the Police, but disliked Sting. I find him to be arrogant and elitist, his music maybe not so much. And this brings us to today's song. Of the entire Police catalog, I think this is the most interesting and best written Sting composition. It also marked a departure in the sound of the band, almost an attempt at Prog rock.

The third single off of 1983's Synchronicity LP, 'Synchronicity II' is straight up Jungian theory set to music. Based on the Swiss psychiatrist's theory of synchronicity, in which two or more unrelated events occur simultaneously in a meaningful way.

Sting brings the notion to fruition by pairing the bleak, banality and anguish of a man's life with that of the Loch Ness Monster ominously coming ashore somewhere far away.

For a guy who repeats variations of 'day-oh' in his most of his songs, this is some pretty deep stuff. He paints a pretty good picture with words in the space of three minutes, jumping back and forth between the two events to draw the parallels.

Meanwhile, Stuart Copeland's machine gun drumming pairs up brilliantly to Andy Summer's apocalyptic, buzz-saw guitar work. The result is an amazing piece of pop music. The accompanying 'Thunderdome'-styled video was shot by auteurs Godley & Creame.

The song simultaneously reached #1 in both the U.S. and U.K. Talk about synchronicity.

The Police-Synchronicity II (1983, A&M Records)


The Police- Synchronicity II

80's Days of Summer: Day 8- Eyes Without A Face

Sticking with the summer of 1984, today's New Wave classic comes to us from punk-pop bad boy Billy Idol. 'Eyes Without A Face' was the second single from his multi-platinum 'Rebel Yell' album, peaking at #4 on the Billboard charts.

After splitting from Generation X in 1981, Idol achieved breakthrough success with the release of Rebel Yell. His crossover pop-punk was mainstream accessible–mohawks for the masses.

Singing backup on the track is French chanteuse Perri Lister. Lister was an 'it' girl back in the early 80's, appearing is several films as well as popping up in the occasional music vid. Her backup credits also include work with Visage.

Billy Idol- Eyes Without A Face (1984, Chrysalis Records)


Billy Idol- Eyes Without A Face

80's Days of Summer: Day 7- My Ever Changing Moods

Today I present the top down Blaupunkt-blasting hit from the summer of '84, The Style Council's 'My Ever Changing Moods'. An armageddon protest song with a beat you could dance to, it was sooo 80's. It also happened to reach #29 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Just a year out from the breakup of the legendary Jam, Paul Weller pulled a musical about-face and along with keyboardist extraordinaire Mick Talbot and percussion phenom Steve White generated some of the slickest, cafe-cool tunes of the 80's. Repleat with capri's and docksiders, Weller emulated Neo-Mod chic.

In the years since, he's proven himself an adroit musical chameleon, effortlessly changing styles resulting in a rich and eclectic catalog.

The Style Council- My Ever Changing Moods (1984, Polydor/Geffen)


The Style Council-My Ever Changing Moods

80's Days of Summer: Day 6- The Perfect Kiss

New Order's 'The Perfect Kiss' dominated my summer in 1985, most of which was spent pumping gas at the local Gulf station. I can still remember the smell of diesel and the sound of 'Low Life'.

As good as the song was, the live in-studio video shot by Jonathan Demme was even better.

Hats off the the E-mu Emulator.


New Order- The Perfect Kiss; FAC123 (Factory/Quest Records, 1985)


The Perfect Kiss- New Order

80's Days of Summer: Day 5-Breaking Glass

A few of my all-time favorite songs just happen to be Nick Lowe creations. The reason: his straightforward songwriting approach. Catchy melodies married to simple lyrics resulting in pristine, three-minute pop gems.

Today's jewel was his highest charting hit, reaching #7 on the U.K. charts. From his 1978 debut, Jesus of Cool.

Piano as breaking glass. Brilliant.

Nick Lowe- I Love The Sound Of Breaking Glass (Top of The Pops, 1978)


I Love The Sound Of Breaking Glass- Nick Lowe

80's Days of Summer: Day 4-Rock Lobster

Summer weekends are reserved for the beach and there is no better beach tune than the B-52's frenetic opus, Rock Lobster. Featured on their 1979 debut LP, the 6+ minute song garnered tons of airplay to help catapult the Athens, Ga quintet to success, eventually reaching No.1 on the charts.

The B-52's- Rock Lobster (Live)

80's Days of Summer: Day 3- Pyjamarama

This 1973 single by London's proto-New Wave Glamsters, Roxy Music featured not one but two Brians; Bryan Ferry on vocals and Brian Eno on synth.

The song reached #11 on the UK charts with a Greatest Hits re-release in 1977.

Shout out to the white tux on Mr. Ferry. Très chic.

Roxy Music- Pjamarama (Live, 1974)


Roxy Music- Pjamarama

80's Days of Summer: Day 2-Melt With You

Oft considered the 'Stairway to Heaven' of the New Wave era, this synthpop classic from the Essex, UK quartet Modern English remains the quintessential, post-punk dance track. Although branded a 'one-hit wonder' the band did have a string of smaller hits including 'Hands across the Sea' and 'Ink and Paper'.

The song was WLIR's 'Screamer of the Week' on August 4th, 1982. It was also prominently featured in the 80's teen flick 'Valley Girl' (starring Nicolas Cage).


Valley Girl- Full Theatrical Trailer (1982)


I Melt With You- Modern English (1982, 4AD Records)

80's Days of Summer: Day 1- Summer Love

So, the novel idea here is to combine two of my favorite things: 80's New Wave and Summer. Let's see if I can actually deliver 80 straight posts. With some luck, by the end of the summer you'll have built yourself a bitchin' playlist.

Day 1: Blue-eyed funk from Scotland' apb. A slight departure from the signature slap-bass sound featured on their earlier releases, This guitar heavy hit was WLIR's 'Screamer of the Week' on July 2, 1985. Shades of Eddie Van Halen courtesy of the multi-talented Ian Slater.

Summer Love- apb (Red River, 1985)



Summer Love-apb

If It Pleases The Court

In a deal struck with a Texas prosecutor to avoid potential jail time in association with his pot bust last November, outlaw legend Willie Nelson will play one of his signature tunes, 'Blue Eyes Cryin' In The Rain' in open court.

The full story is here.

Here's Willie performing the classic on the CMA's way back in 1975.

So Happy Together

On this day in in 1967, The Turtles' Happy Together became the No.1 song in the country.

The southern California pop group founded in 1965 by Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman (later known as Flo and Eddie) rode the musical wave of the hippie movement with this saccharin-sweet diddy in the spring of 1967. That wave would later crest in the Summer of Love.

Not unlike the Byrds, The Turtles initial claim to fame was derived from a Bob Dylan song. A few years earlier, their cover of It Ain't Me Babe reached the Top Ten.

Happy Together was written for the band by Garry Bonner and Alan Gordon. The duo also penned minor hits for The Lovin' Spoonfuls, Petula Clark and Three Dog Night, but none would achieve the status of Happy Together.

It's interesting to note that this song knocked The Beatles Penny Lane out of the top slot and remained there for three weeks. It was the Turtles only No. 1 hit.


Happy Together- The Turtles (Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, 1967)


The Turtles - Happy Together by scootaway

In The Midnight Hour

Happy (posthumous) 69th birthday to Wilson Pickett.

In The Midnight Hour- Wilson Pickett


Mustang Sally- Wilson Pickett